On behalf of theFaculty
& StaffofThe School ofAeronautics & Astronautics

We send our warmest and very best wishesto you and your family for aHappy Holiday Seasonand a wonderful New Year

Hail Purdue!

Purdue Libraries celebrates gift of Armstrong papers

Purdue University recognized Carol Armstrong on Friday, November 21, 2014 for the gift of papers valued at more than $3.4 million from her late husband, Neil A. Armstrong (BSAE'55, DEA'67, HDR'70, OAE'99), a 1955 School of Aeronautics and Astronautics graduate and the first person to step on the moon. Astronaut alum Eugene A. Cernan (BSEE'56, HDR'70, OECE'92) attended the private event honoring the gifts at the Purdue Libraries’ Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections Research Center.

“Neil Armstrong epitomized in a very literal sense just how far an education could take a person. He came to Purdue with natural talent and a dream, and through hard work and a strong code of personal value, became an American icon,” said Purdue President Mitch Daniels. “Only a few achieve such status. But he is an example to all young people to dare to dream. We’re truly grateful that his wife, Carol, chose to further honor his legacy and Purdue with these gifts. And it is fitting that Gene Cernan, another example of a Purdue Boilermaker who imagined the possibilities, is here to share in this special occasion. Neil and Gene are forever linked as Purdue alumni and the first and – for now – last people to walk on the moon.”

Neil Armstrong, a 1955 Purdue graduate of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, began donating personal papers to the Purdue Libraries’ Division of Archives and Special Collections in 2008 after carefully considering repository options, said Sammie Morris, head of the Archives and Special Collections Division and associate professor.

“Neil carefully interviewed us to be sure the papers would not sit in storage, but rather be made available for scholarly research and access to students,” Morris said. The collection is now part of the Barron Hilton Flight and Space Exploration Archives and is open for scholarly research.

In celebration, the Division of Archives and Special Collections has mounted the exhibit “Steps to the Moon: Selections from the Neil A. Armstrong Papers and the Eugene A. Cernan Papers.” The exhibit in the Karnes Research Center, which is on the fourth floor of the Humanities, Social Science and Education Library in Stewart Center, will be on display through Feb. 27.

“The support and generosity of Neil and Carol Armstrong and Eugene Cernan were key to the establishment of the endowment for the Flight and Space Archives and to the ongoing growth of the Flight Archives,” said Purdue Libraries Dean James L. Mullins. “Engineers, former test pilots and astronauts, and administrators have placed their papers in the Hilton Flight Archives in no small part because Neil and Gene have done so. We’ve been entrusted also because of the tremendous support for the established endowment and the high priority the university places on the preservation of these unique records of human achievement.”

As part of his continued collaboration with Professor James M. Longuski, Apollo astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin visited the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics on October 30-31, 2014. The School was honored to have Dr. Aldrin visit and hold discussions with Dr. Longuski’s graduate student research group, Advanced Astrodynamics Concepts. Dr. Aldrin held numerous discussions with the research group regarding long-term and sustainable human exploration of Mars. Dr. Aldrin is a leading advocate for space exploration.

To learn more about Dr. Aldrin and his significant impact on space exploration and travel, visit: http://buzzaldrin.com/

Purdue Engineering names 2014 pre-eminent teams, School of AAE faculty members among researchers

Purdue University's College of Engineering has named four pre-eminent teams to focus on research ranging from drug delivery to nanomanufacturing. One of the four teams is headed by and comprised of three School of Aeronautics and Astronautics faculty members: Dr. Sergey Macheret; Dr. Alina Alexeenko; and Dr. Sally Bane. Team members Dr. Timothy Fisher and Dr. Robert Lucht, professors of Mechanical Engineering, are faculty members in the School of AAE by courtesy.

The effort is part of the college's strategic growth plan that will add as many as 107 faculty members over five years. "The pre-eminent teams process helps us make informed faculty hiring decisions based on research strengths and with a focus on the potential for impact," said Leah Jamieson, the John A. Edwardson Dean of Engineering. "This approach emphasizes the power of team-based research."

It is the second annual competition, which brings the total number of teams to eight. The teams are building on strengths that are already part of the college. To become pre-eminent teams, they went through a process similar to a pitch entrepreneurs would give to venture capitalists. This year 27 teams, comprising more than 150 faculty members, participated in the competition.

The pre-eminent team led by Dr. Sergey Macheret, professor of aerodynamics in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, will focus on:

* Team 11 - Cold Plasmas: Extreme density, low-temperature plasmas for electronics, aerospace, food science and biotechnology applications. Low-temperature plasmas (LTP) are weakly ionized gases that are being extensively used in fluorescent lights and in microchip fabrication. New ways of generating and controlling LTP could lead to new applications ranging from medicine and food processing to enhancing aerodynamics and propulsion performance of existing and future airplanes. The ability of plasmas to interact with electromagnetic waves, combined with controllability and "tunability" of plasma characteristics, could enable novel radio-frequency devices.

Congratulations to School of Aeronautics and Astronautics Professor Greg Blaisdell, winner of the prestigious 2014 W.A. Gustafson Award for Outstanding Teaching.

Four additional faculty members were also nominated for the W.A. Gustafson Award for Outstanding Teaching, and received the next four highest numbers of votes: Professors Alina Alexeenko, Mike Sangid, Jim Longuski, and Karen Marais.

The recipient of this award is selected by the juniors and seniors of the AAE student body. It is made possible by the interest and generosity of friends and alumni of the school. “Educating students is one of our most important missions,” notes Dr. Tom I-P. Shih, Professor and Head, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics. “I want to thank Professor Blaisdell for the excellence in learning that he brings to the classroom.”

Professor Blaisdell received his Ph.D. from Stanford University in Mechanical Engineering in 1991, and joined the School that same year. His areas of interest include Computational Fluid Mechanics, and Transition and Turbulence. The School of Aeronautics and Astronautics congratulates Dr. Blaisdell on this award, and appreciates his continued excellence and the honor that he brings to the school.

2014 Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Award recipients honored by School of AAE at ceremony

The School of Aeronautics and Astronautics was pleased to honor nine of its graduates with the designation of "Outstanding Aerospace Engineer" for 2014. The awards dinner and ceremony took place on Friday, November 7, 2014 at Four Points by Sheraton in West Lafayette.

The designation "Outstanding Aerospace Engineer" recognizes the professional contributions of graduates from the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and thanks them for the recognition that their success brings to Purdue and the School.

Industrial Advisory Council (IAC) meetings give input into School of AAE goals

The School of Aeronautics and Astronautics Industrial Advisory Council (IAC) met on November 6-7, 2014 on campus. The meeting provided vital guidance to the School of AAE in a variety of topics which are used to shape the department's current operations and future goals.

The IAC meets bi-annually, and serves an important role one of the School’s links between industry and university. Topics covered this fall included a working lunch with the department’s curriculum committee members, State of the School update including a strategic plan overview by Dr. Tom Shih, breakout sessions with faculty and students, and ATK award presentations. IAC member Mike Corso also presented a working lunch presentation with faculty members on “Rise of the Drones.”

AAE students had the opportunity to meet and interact with IAC members at a pizza and ice cream social held in the Armstrong Atrium.

School of AAE Young Professional Advisory Council on campus to meet with faculty and students

Purdue's School of Aeronautics and Astronautics hosted panel discussions on August 25 and 26, 2014 which brought together current undergraduate students and young alumni. The alumni were part of the inaugural group of AAE's Young Professional Advisory Council. The alumni met with undergraduate students to answer questions about what lies ahead, how to excel, and other concerns students might have had. YPAC members also met with faculty to provide feedback on curriculum matters.

“The alumni were chosen from various backgrounds to best cover a wide range of topics relating to aerospace careers and success in the field,” said Steven Collicott, professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics who organized the YPAC. “We encouraged AAE students to take advantage of this opportunity to meet young alums working in the field of aeronautics and astronautics and learn how students can apply alums’ experiences to their own professional growth.”

James Tancred, BSAAE, 2010
Air Force Research Laboratory, Aerospace Engineer

Brandon White, BSAAE, 2008
GE Aviation, Technical Program Manager

Plans are underway for 2015 YPAC sessions.

Welcome to new School of AAE faculty and staff

The School of Aeronautics and Astronautics is pleased to welcome three new faculty members:

Prof. Dan Dumbacher - Aerospace Systems

Dr. Carolin Frueh - Astrodynamics and Space Applications

Dr. Sergey Macheret - Aerodynamics

And four new AAE staff members:

Anna Bowers - Secretary IV Front Desk

Casey Hendrickson - Event Planner and
Purdue Space Day Coordinator

Jennifer Merzdorf - Marketing and Communication Administrator

Taylor Weast - Academic Advisor

Welcome, and best wishes for much success!

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We hope that you find this information useful and relevant. We want to keep in touch with all of our alumni and friends.
Contact us at the following email address: aae-alumni@ecn.purdue.edu.